Thursday, November 21, 2013

It’s a story every job seeker has to tell. You find the perfect job opening. You apply. And then you wait. And wait. And wait.

Just because an organization wants to hire doesn’t mean it’s in any rush to fill its open slots. But a new study by three economists underscores that the flip side is also true: firms frequently hire even without having a formal opening.To better understand how vacancies relate to actual hiring, Steven Davis of the University of Chicago, Jason Faberman of the Federal Reserve Bank of Chicago, and John Haltiwanger of the University of Maryland dug into the Bureau of Labor Statistics’ Job Openings and Labor Turnover Survey. This survey samples some 16,000 establishments each month, asking firms how many people they are looking to hire, what sort of advertising they’re doing to find workers, and more.Looking at data from 2000 through 2006, the researchers found that 42% of hires were happening at establishments that had said, just the month before, they had no vacancies. The take-away for job-seekers: companies often move fast to fill positions as they open. If there’s a place you want to work, find a way to introduce yourself before a job opening is even posted. Because once companies decide to hire, you might not have much time to sell yourself.And a short window of opportunity is actually the best case scenario. The survey asks companies about vacancies at the end of the month, and then tracks how many hires happen in the next 30 days. This means that the raw numbers don’t differentiate between a company quickly filling an opening, and a company hiring a person without ever officially logging a vacancy. Using some fancy economic modeling, the researchers found evidence that for a full 27% of hires, establishments never recorded a vacancy. What’s going on there? It’s possible to come up with different stories, but one is that establishments hire when they see someone they want—even more reason to try to get your foot in the door before the door is open.Read the rest of the Glassdoor article

The approaches we're recommending in these articles are specifically aimed at growing your social media connections for job search purposes, though actually they are relevant for anyone wanting to engage more effectively via social media.One major challenge we hear candidates talk about is how to use their twitter account to engage effectively with recruiters and employers. Tips for doing this are covered in the job search articles I referenced above. Here and now we're going to focus purely on how to quickly grow the recruiter accounts you are following - whilst ensuring those you are following are relevant and engaged (and so can contribute to your job search endeavours).What we have found to be an extremely effective approach is to identify Twitter lists that contain the types of recruiters / employers you would like to follow; and then, once followed, to use a twitter tool to cleanse your twitter account of anyone not engaging in a way that's going to be beneficial for your job search.

Following Twitter Accounts - Getting Started

To get you started, we would recommend using Listorious to research Twitter accounts to follow. You will see you can search for either individual Twitter accounts or for Twitter lists - so experiment with searches in your sector that include things like "recruiters", "hiring", "jobs" or "recruitment". You should quickly be able to find some relevant people to follow.The next step is crucial though. For every person you see who looks like a relevant recruiter contact to follow, visit their twitter account profile page. Take a look at their lists, to see if they themselves manage lists of twitter accounts relevant to recruiting in that sector. You will find that many do. Alongside that, check to see the lists that that Twitter account is a member of. This is so powerful! Here you are using the power of crowdsourcing and the collective wisdom of the Twitter population to help you identify people who are worth following.To get an idea of how this works, take a look at the link for Social-Hire's Founder Tony Restell. You will see that other Twitter users have determined that Tony is an authority on subjects like social media, job search and recruitment - and so have included him on their lists. Now imagine you've found the first recruiters whose twitter accounts you've decided to follow in your niche sector. Imagine your delight when you see that those recruiters feature on lists of other twitter accounts in the same field. Twitter lists can hold up to 500 twitter accounts. So this approach can very quickly see you following loads of twitter accounts highly relevant to your job search.

--- Search For Recruiters Now ---

Search by specialism (eg. strategy recruiter, sales recruiter) and / or by geography and / or by name of employer.

Tuesday, November 19, 2013

A friend of mine once said, “Everyone should know a good lawyer, accountant and resume writer.” And, amidst my group, I have been anointed the go-to person for all things resumes … which I love. When a dear friend’s husband was recently laid off, she quickly emailed me with a request to review it.For those of us in the recruiting or career services industry, we keep up on all the resume dos and don’ts. But for typical job seekers — know matter how much information is posted online, how smart they are or what industry they are in — they are probably going to need some level of help improving their resumes.

8 QUICK AND EASY TIPS TO IMPROVE YOUR RESUME

1. Fix typos: When you are staring at your resume, hour after hour, often you start to glance over words and can miss a typo or two. Be sure to double and triple check each heading, sentence and word.2. Retitle your resume: As an HR pro, I like seeing someone who has saved his or her resume with context. Instead of simply Jennifer Resume.doc, try something like Jennifer Smith PR Executive.doc.3. Save a PDF version: A PDF version can help eliminate formatting issues that may occur when emailing your resume to someone using a different operating system. And, to me, the PDF just seems a bit more professional.

Monday, November 18, 2013

Landing the interview for that dream job can be an exhilarating ride for anyone seeking a change in their career. The dizzy excitement of that chance of being so close can make anyone desperate to do well. However there are many cases in which those who really want to succeed have not, generally because of mistakes made before the interview has even finished.

It is common knowledge that an interviewee should give precise examples of previous work in relation to questions, maintain regular eye contact with their interviewer and arrive on time. However, there are other potential mistakes that you may not realise, which can be avoided.

“When a candidate comes in for an interview they are being assessed on everything, from posture to their industry knowledge. When we interview a candidate, we have to take into account how our clients will perceive this person. At this stage of the process we are able to advise and help as much as possible, especially in areas they were previously unaware of, to give the candidate every chance of producing a good interview.” - Jenny Pape, Director at Workfish Recruitment

So what are those mistakes and what can you do to avoid them?

1) Preparation:

The most important aspect of the interview is the preparation that the candidate undertakes. Applicants can make their life a lot easier by making sure that they are well prepared before they even leave for the interview. For instance, those who are dedicated in their search for a new job can often have several interviews lined up at any one time. If those who are in this situation get confused or mix up interview dates, it can demonstrate poor organisational skills and can obviously be detrimental to interview success.

Another issue with preparation is interviewees looking like they have not had enough of a good sleep the night before. This can often be the case if they are anxious or worried about the interview – which is natural – after all an interview is a stressful time. However if the person turns up with rings around their eyes or starts to yawn in front of the interviewer, it can be pretty damaging.

2) Not impressing with your dressing:

It is amazing how many applicants really do not consider what they are wearing to an interview. There are those who really do turn up to an interview in just jeans and a t-shirt. This does not look professional to the interviewer and can seem like the interviewee has no real intention of pursuing the job. No matter how ‘cool’ or trendy the organisation is, it is always better to be overdressed than underdressed.It is not just dressing in the right clothes that can make the difference. Having the clothes freshly cleaned and professionally ironed is a huge benefit. Wearing a creased shirt or trousers shows poor organisation and a lack of personal care.

3) Arrival in the lobby:

How a candidate arrives in the lobby, or at the reception of the interviewing company, is just as important as how they introduce themselves to the interviewer. It is often forgotten that the receptionist is often asked what they noticed about the candidates. Turning up while using the mobile phone, chewing gum or wearing sunglasses – will be noticed, even if they are disposed off before the interviewer shows their presence.

Once the candidate has arrived in the lobby of the company – the best option will be to politely introduce themselves to the receptionist. It is best not to look at your phone but to instead sit and read either the notes on the company so they are fresh in your mind or any literature on the organisation that is present in the lobby.

It would be important to note at this time that being late is also frowned upon. However there are times when being late is not your fault. During these moments it is best to ring in advance to apologise, explain the reason succinctly without being negative.

Author: Josh Hansen writes on all manner of topics but can usually be found wittering on about the world of employment and technology, or both.

Thursday, November 7, 2013

Anthony Moore has the things that old folks in old movies like ambitious young whippersnappers to have: moxie, pluck, spunk, and the like. He's a new college grad with, appropriately enough, a site for new college grads, and while he is yet to land his yearned-for dream job in "content writing," he is hustling up connections--the kind that, we know, land gigs.How so? From a hard-earned nepotism begotten from attending an elite university? From being born into immense social standing? By creating a ridiculously great "I quit" YouTube hit? No: our Mr. Moore, as a good millennial does, engineers his own nepotism.The secret: the informational interview.Let's allow him to tell us what that means:

An informational interview is a meeting between two people, one who’s a professional working in a certain field or industry and one who’s looking to learn more about that industry and get their foot in the door.

When we talked to Bob Pozen last year, the former financial heavyweight, current Harvard Business School lecturer, and recent author of Extreme Productivity said that when you're on the job hunt (or planning for your career in general), the best way to get to know if you want to work in a field (without the full-on commitment of starting a job) is to simply talk to the people who do it.Learn the parts that rock, the parts that suck, and the parts that are surprising. People love to read "what I wish I would have known when I was 22" blog posts; informational interviews allow you to pull that refracted reflectiveness out of the professionals that you have a job-crush on.Additionally, you can ask these successful folks what skills they wish they had right now: like, say, a fluency in data or programming or visualization. Then we can look for gigs that let us grow those skill sets or not give a damn and and learn in-demand skills on our own time.But the knowledge ain't the only thing. Because if the interview goes well, as Moore says, you'll now know somebody in the industry. Somebody that likes you, which is the way people land jobs.

As Northwestern management professor Lauren Rivera will tell you, hiring is much more like dating than a hiring manager might like to admit.Folks tend to hire people who remind them of themselves, the people who they wouldn't mind being stuck with in an airport with, the people who they "click" with. The thing is, though, when we say we "click" with someone, that's a way of saying that you have same interests, background, and goals.Additionally, when you do the interview you can get to know the personality (or psychographic, if you want to get pedantic) of the folks in organization or industry in question. Why is this important? The informational interview, then, is a way of ferreting out that "click" with a hiring manager. In a lightly Machiavellian sense, you could better learn to tailor your self-presentation to the hiring person's own self-perception.

Wednesday, November 6, 2013

Some people still have an outdated view of a temp job. They think that a temp job is something you take to make ends meet while you’re looking for a “real” job. That kind of thinking ignores the many benefits that a temp job can offer. If you’re considering a temp job, but can’t quite shake that old-fashioned viewpoint, here are some benefits of a temp job that may change your mind.

1. Take Charge of Your Time

Everyone has different demands put on their time. You may be a student, have family obligations, or just need some personal time before starting a long-term career. A temp job gives you the flexibility to work full- or part-time, without making any long-term commitments to an employer. Since you get to choose which assignments you take, you decide how much of your time is devoted to working, and how much is free for other obligations.

2. Keep Your Skills Sharp

Whether you’re taking time off for personal reasons, or having trouble finding the perfect job, blank periods on a resume look bad. A temp job lets you continue developing job skills and building your resume, all on your terms. When you do decide that the time is right to continue pursuing a long-term career, you won’t have blank spots on your resume holding you back.

3. Expand Your Network

Working a temp job gives you access to a huge number of professional contacts. Everyone from recruiters to employers can potentially help you advance your career. Even your coworkers and fellow temps can prove to be valuable resources. Just one or two temp jobs could provide you with the kind of contact list that other professionals spend decades putting together.Benefits 4,5, and the complete article

Tuesday, November 5, 2013

As a recruiter and mentor, I get dozens of applications for every opening; I have to find a way to thin the piles down to a reasonable size – and select those who deserve a shot.So before you tell everyone you’ve found your dream job and have applied, let me describe the ten steps I use to determine if you may be selected as the 1-in-100 “winner” of this competition…Candidates received: 100

Step 1: Are you Social?

In my business, being alive on social media is everything. You can have a smallish personal network, but it must be of high quality and you must be a consistent, integrity-based practitioner of the social media arts.Candidates remaining: 40

Step 2: Do you Pay Attention to Detail?

For instance, I asked for a cover letter describing why you felt that you would be a great fit for the position. Yet, a surprisingly large number of applicants fail to include a cover letter. In addition, a handful sent cover letters that were clearly form letters that failed to include the information requested.20 candidates remaining

Step 3: How Good is Your Cover Letter?

I know others think different, but to me a cover letter is always important, especially for college students who may not yet have a rich work history. Here is your chance to shine, to show me a bit about who you are as a person:

Typo? Or maybe too long? If so, you may not be good at Step 2 or getting ideas across in a succinct manner; you go into the “probably not” pile

Is your cover letter engaging and provide reasons for me to bring you in? Did you address it “Dear Todd” as opposed to “To whom it may concern”? If yes, into the “for consideration” pile.

Candidates remaining (those who shine): 15

Step 4: Is your Resume Compelling?

Here’s where I really decide on those I’ll be interviewing…Have you committed yourself to internships? Have you been involved in activities outside of class? Volunteer work? Summer jobs? Peer mentoring? I am not looking for anything in particular, but I do want my interns and team members to be well-rounded individuals versus academic automatons.

Candidates remaining: 10See steps 5-10 and the complete articleAbout the Author:Todd Herschberg is a seasoned entrepreneur who has served as founder, marketer, technologist and mentor for a number of start-up tech firms. Mr. Herschberg is one of the world’s 20 most connected individuals on LinkedIn, a frequent speaker on social media topics and ranked the 33rd “Most Influential Person Online” by Fast Company. Todd is also an advisor to YouTern and a firm believer in mentoring. You can reach Todd directly on Twitter.

Monday, November 4, 2013

In today's tough job market, good may not be good enough. Will you be stellar in a job interview? Rate yourself on each these:1. Researching the boss and employer. For example, Google your boss, the organization and if appropriate, its products, services and competitors. But don't reveal too much during the interview. Having taken the time to learn a tremendous amount about the organization or boss can make you seem desperate, even creepy.Your score from 0 to 15: ___2. Planning for the compensation question. In many interviews, the candidate is asked, "What's your salary requirement?" Sure, you can try responding with, "What range have you budgeted for the position?" But often, you'll be forced to give your range.To get an estimate of your fair market value, use websites such as Glassdoor.com, PayScale.com and Salary.com, plus information from your colleagues. Adjust based on how good you'd be at the position and on how badly you want the job.Your score from 0 to 15: ___3. Looking the part. Dress one notch dressier than what you would wear on that job. Not sure what that is? Email or call the office and ask, "I'm coming in for a job interview for a position as X. I'm getting interviewed by Y. Any advice on what to wear?"Your score from 0 to 10: ___4. Having compelling yet honest answers ready for The Four Questions:i. "Could you tell me about yourself?" In just one minute, you need to make clear why you'd be a great person for the job.ii. "What's your greatest weakness? Some employers are now using a variation of that: "What do you suck most at?" The informality makes you more likely to respond honestly.iii. "Could you tell me about a problem you solved?" You need a one-minute story that showcases how your skills, ability or drive would be valuable in your target job.iv. The question you fear most. Of course, it's different for each applicant. Examples: "Why did you leave your previous employer?" "Why have you been unemployed so long?" Or it may be a technical question that would reveal that your skills for the job are marginal. Your score from 0 to 20: ___See your final score, what it means, and all 9 tips